Dr. Garba Danjuma, Founder and Chairman of the Women and Children Health Empowerment Foundation (WACHEF), has called for a collective national effort to tackle the burden of clubfoot in Nigeria.
In a statement released to mark World Clubfoot Day, Dr. Danjuma, who doubles as the Executive Secretary of the Taraba State Health Services Management Board , emphasized the need to expand access to treatment, stressing that “no child should have to live with a preventable disability”.
“Clubfoot is a condition we know how to treat, and no child should live with a disability that we know how to prevent,” he said.
Highlighting the Ponseti method as a globally recognized and cost-effective treatment, Dr. Danjuma urged healthcare authorities and stakeholders to ensure its availability in every region of the country.
He called on government bodies, medical professionals, and civil society organizations to join hands in scaling up care and raising awareness about the condition, noting that early intervention can transform the lives of thousands of children across Nigeria.
Aligning his weight to that of WACHEF, Dr. Ekene Isiaku, Senior Program Field Officer and Country Representative for MiracleFeet Nigeria, commended the strides made so far but stressed the need for greater government involvement.
“We’ve shown what’s possible when civil society and healthcare providers come together. But to truly eliminate untreated clubfoot in Nigeria, we need active, sustained leadership from all levels of government,” she said.
Dr. Isikaku called on government stakeholders to, establish and sustain clubfoot clinics in all public hospitals, deploy more trained health personnel at every level of care, integrate clubfoot care into maternal and child health services, include clubfoot treatment in the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) agenda
She also emphasized the importance of addressing harmful myths and misinformation that often delay treatment. “An informed society is one where no child is left behind due to a preventable condition,” she noted.